Valö Church ( sv, Valö kyrka) is a Lutheran church in the

Archdiocese of Uppsala The Archdiocese of Uppsala ( sv, Uppsala ärkestift) is one of the thirteen dioceses of the Church of Sweden and the only one having the status of an archdiocese. Lutheran archdiocese Uppsala is the seat of the Lutheran Archbishop of Uppsala. Th ...

in Uppsala County,

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...

. It has been described as one of the most interesting countryside churches in Uppland, with regard to its furnishings and

fresco Fresco (plural ''frescos'' or ''frescoes'') is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid ("wet") lime plaster. Water is used as the vehicle for the dry-powder pigment to merge with the plaster, and with the setting of the plaste ...

History and architecture

The presently visible stone church dates from the 13th century but probably replaced an earlier, wooden church. The exact history of the church is unknown; perhaps it was built at the end of the 13th century. The church is rectangular, with a protruding church porch and

sacristy A sacristy, also known as a vestry or preparation room, is a room in Christian churches for the keeping of vestments (such as the alb and chasuble) and other church furnishings, sacred vessels, and parish records. The sacristy is usually located ...

. Elements of the medieval entrance door have survived in the door between the church porch and the church itself. Inside, the church ceiling is supported by vaults constructed in the 16th century and decorated with frescos, made by an artist known as Örjan the Painter in the 1520s. The church is unusually rich in furnishings. It houses three medieval

altarpiece An altarpiece is an artwork such as a painting, sculpture or relief representing a religious subject made for placing at the back of or behind the altar of a Christian church. Though most commonly used for a single work of art such as a painting o ...

s. The most ornate one was made in

Antwerp Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504,

and was probably made in 1515. The two others were made in present-day Germany and Sweden respectively and both date from the 15th century. In addition, the church has two crucifixes, also dating from the 15th century and also made in Germany and Sweden respectively. An additional three carved wooden statuettes of saints' date from the same century. The church also has in its possession two processional staffs from the Middle Ages, both originally decorated with angels.

References

External links

*
Official site (in Swedish)

Photo gallery at kyrkokartan.se
{{DEFAULTSORT:Valo Church Churches in the Diocese of Uppsala Churches converted from the Roman Catholic Church to the Church of Sweden